Aston Villa

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Marco Asensio's Paris St-Germain career has been forgettable - but he now has the chance to make them remember his name.

The 29-year-old can face his parent club in their Champions League quarter-final showdown against Aston Villa next month, after moving from Parc des Princes to Villa Park on loan in February.

His second-half double in Wednesday's 3-0 second-leg win over Club Brugge in the last 16 puts him on a collision course with PSG, who beat Liverpool on penalties on Tuesday.

Uefa rules state clubs cannot apply "any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match" - meaning PSG's Champions League dream could end at the hands of their own player.

A move to Villa has reinvigorated him, and only PSG's Ousmane Dembele (eight) has scored more goals in Europe's big five leagues across all competitions than Asensio since his debut for Villa last month (seven).

Those goals have come in eight games - three in the last-16 tie against Club Brugge - with the Spain attacking midfielder willing to wait before focusing on his return to Paris.

He said: "[I'm] very comfortable. Very happy with the team-mates, the fans and the city. In one or two weeks, we have time to think about this [PSG] game.

"In every match, the atmosphere is top. We want more. Now we have a little break and to think about the upcoming objectives.

"I like to score there [the Holte End]. We're adapting to the new players but in the right way."

Thursday's newspaper back pages highlight the comfortable manner in which Villa 'cruised' into the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Club Brugge 6-1 over two legs.

They will face French giants Paris St-Germain in the last eight.

For Unai Emery, it is the chance to take Villa's dream even deeper into the tournament and he will - no doubt - enjoy trying to plot his former club's downfall.

These are heady days for Villa.

Image source, Daily Mirror and The Guardian

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery told TNT Sports: "We started the match under our expectations. They dominated the match. We didn't play the first half like we planned.

"We spoke at half-time, changed some thing, tried to change something in our minds to play better and it was completely different."

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa's Marco Asensio, speaking to TNT Sports after his double against Club Brugge: "Very happy for the victory. I'm very happy for the team and the fans.

"Every match the atmosphere is top. We want more. Now we have a little break and to think about the upcoming objectives.

"I like to score there [Holte End]. We're adapting to the new players but we're in the right way.

"Very comfortable. Very happy with the team-mates, the fans and the city. In one or two weeks we have time to think about this [PSG] game."

Image source, Getty Images

Pundits covering the match for BBC Sport were impressed by the Spaniard's display and the impact he and fellow January loan signing Marcus Rashford have made at Villa.

Former Arsenal and Brighton defender Matthew Upson on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Marco Asensio is clever in where he positions himself. It's a nightmare really.

"He comes on the pitch and he has the knack to pick up the right areas.

"You need to get yourself in a mentality that, when it's your turn to play your part, you're at your best and you're delivering and that's what world-class players do. He's in that bracket.

"He's a great signing for Villa and he's going to play a big part in the exciting finish to the season they have ahead."

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha, on BBC Radio 5 Live:

"I think in terms of Marcus Rashford's style of play, the direction that he's going, taking people on, the speed and that final ball, getting those assists for Marco Asensio, that stuff has been great.

"Managing to get those two players in January while not playing much for their teams has come at an expense, but they had to be able to see the hunger to make their difference and it's worked out so well for them."

European football expert Julien Laurens on MOTD:

"It is a little surprising that Marco Asensio has not started more games for Aston Villa but apparently he is not fully fit and Morgan Rogers has also been in such good form. Asensio's natural position is a number 10 so he would have to move one of them out of position to get them both in the starting XI.

"Still, Asensio certainly seems happy to be used as a super sub, and maybe that's how Unai Emery sees him for now, as an impact player.

"Another January signing, Marcus Rashford, has been used in a similar way, and they have both been effective.

"It means Villa have more depth and lots of options too. It's working well for Emery at the moment."

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa captain John McGinn, speaking to TNT Sports: "It's mad. A lot of years of hard work. We let ourselves down in the first half but they're a good side. Even with 10 men they were the better side. We're lucky to have Marco to come off the bench. The second half was brilliant.

"It doesn't get much harder than PSG over two legs. We have important games before that.

"I watched it [Liverpool v PSG] but you don't want to get too far ahead of yourselves. Villa, Champions League quarter-finalists. Can't ask for much more.

"It'll be good to have a bit of a break. We have a chance for Wembley in the FA Cup. We want to get back and enjoy these nights next season. What an exciting end to the season we've got.

"We're giving these fans experiences they'll remember forever. We want to write our names in history and make these nights more frequent."

Villa defender Tyrone Mings: "It's good. Tough to put into words. When you're in it, it's hard to take it in and appreciate it, the level we're playing at. The bar keeps raising. The Championship feels like a long time ago. I'm really enjoying the journey."

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Four matches make up Wednesday's Champions League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Lille v Borussia Dortmund (Agg 1-1) - 17:45

• Arsenal v PSV (Agg 7-1)

• Aston Villa v Club Brugge (Agg 3-1) - BBC Radio 5 Live commentary

• Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid (Agg 1-2)

All kick-off times 20:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It was still quiet outside Villa Park three hours before kick- off. The half-and-half scarf sellers and pin badges stalls were still being set up while those who had arrived early for hospitality hung around waiting for the stadium to open.

That is going to be in stark contrast to how the scenes will be at kick off as Aston Villa aim to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

Boasting a 3-1 advantage following last week's first-leg victory at Club Brugge, Unai Emery knows former side Paris St-Germain await in the last eight after their penalty victory over Liverpool on Tuesday.

Emery remains wary of Brugge, despite their lead, having scored twice in the final eight minutes through Brandon Mechele's own goal and Marco Asensio's penalty in Belgium.

He said at his news conference on Tuesday: "We won there but we won in the last minutes with two actions that we had. That's football, but the respect is massive. The respect of them is massive."

Brugge beat Villa 1-0 in the league stage so already know what it takes to beat Emery's men, who have been too inconsistent this season to - so far - guarantee they will be in the top four come May.

They have been unable to kill teams off - one of the reasons they are eighth and four points adrift of the top four in the Premier League - but must find their ruthless edge to ensure progression.

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

"It's an exciting time to be a Villa player and a Villa fan," grinned Matty Cash.

He is an excellent spokesman for Villa's players, and for footballers generally, because alongside the obvious dedication to his craft demanded at Villa's level, he still carries a kid-in-a-sweetshop sense of wonder at where he is, and how he is earning his living.

Footballers should smile more, and Cash smiles a lot.

"It's good to be excited, definitely," he says. "Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but definitely to have that excitement, to see what you could achieve."

Just two weeks ago, after a bad defeat at Selhurst Park, a slight sense of drift was beginning to creep around Villa's season. Three wins, in three different competitions, have blown that feeling away.

At Tuesday's press conference, Unai Emery spoke with renewed zeal, a sense of determination that though this season has been a great ride for everyone, there must be a tangible reward at the end. Another shot at one of the European competitions would be a minimum requirement, winning a trophy at the same time better still.

"Maybe even the first objective I had when I arrived here was to be in Europe, and we got in last year and this year," he said.

"And to be in contention for a trophy; last year we were in the Conference [League] being contenders but we lost in the semi-final, this year we are in the FA Cup, we are now in Champions League as well, and everything we are doing hopefully we can keep for a long time. This is the challenge."

Hang on. As I recall, when Emery's imminent arrival was announced in October 2022, most Villa fans calling BBC Radio WM were more exercised by whether they were going to stay in the Premier League at all. So I looked it up: sure enough, at his first press conference, Emery said more or less the same thing: "My dream is to win a trophy with Aston Villa, it's my personal challenge at the beginning. And my second dream, my objective could be to play with Aston Villa in Europe." At the time it sounded like a moonshot but here we are.

Back to the present. Emery told us: "I know the club, after they won the European Cup, they were for a long time not achieving the demands we are now setting in the club – to be in Europe, to be contenders for trophies. Everything we are doing is important. But I want more." You bet.

Listen to Aston Villa v Club Brugge on BBC Radio WM with live commentary (95.6FM/DAB/Freeview), Wednesday 8pm.

Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

Image source, Getty Images

Former Tottenham and Newcastle winger Andros Townsend believes Aston Villa have enough to progress beyond Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Unai Emery's side lead 3-1 on aggregate going into the second leg of their last-16 tie and, after Paris St-Germain beat Liverpool on penalties, will take on the French side in the quarter-finals if they progress.

Townsend believes Villa's flurry of goals against Brugge stands them in good stead to get over the line.

"I think they will progress, with the two-goal buffer, but I think in the first leg, Brugge were the better side," he said.

"They took the game to Villa and were very expansive and didn't really turn over the ball but Aston Villa hit them in the last five or 10 minutes and it is probably too much for Brugge to overturn.

"It is incredible to see the squad Villa has amassed to now. Even now, Emery is resisting the temptation to start Asensio.

"They have such an array of talent to choose from."

Henry Brownsey
BBC Sport journalist

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Champions League second leg against Club Brugge (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Villa won the first leg of the last-16 tie 3-1 in Belgium last week.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Emiliano Martinez and Marco Asensio are both available after missing Saturday's win at Brentford, while midfielder Amadou Onana is also returning to the squad.

• On how Villa prepare with a two-goal lead, Emery said: "Nothing changes. We have our own experience, anything could happen because it's football - the match can change so quickly," and referenced Villa giving up a two-goal lead earlier in the competition against Celtic.

• On how key the crowd are: "The supporters know their importance in our process - the environment, helping, supporting us. It's a special moment at Villa Park - we have to be together and enjoy it."

• He said the players have been practising penalties but "it's difficult, it's never the same - the real practice is in the moment. How they feel - comfortable, strong and ready. The most important is experience is through previous penalty shootouts."

• On the importance of Morgan Rogers: "I appreciate versatile players who understand everything - he is one of them, John McGinn is another, their personality and [consistency] is very important - I am pushing other players to be versatile in case we need it."

• He continued: "[Rogers] is always performing well because he understands everything tactically what we are planning and also has the quality to do it, he is always trying to improve and we want more of him."

• On how the club is performing: "Our objective is to be consistently playing in Europe and the Champions League, there is a new demand - for the owners, the club and the supporters. My objective when I arrived was to contend for trophies and play in Europe - hopefully we continue, I want more."

• On how they can have a successful season: "We are getting better, but we have an expectation in the Premier League - we have to try to get the balance in the next few weeks and months. I don't want to stop - we know how demanding we have to be to achieve our objective."

David Michael
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Having just taken the lead against Brentford, Aston Villa thought they had doubled their advantage a minute later - until a lengthy VAR review ruled out Morgan Rogers' goal for offside against assist-provider Ollie Watkins.

While a second quickfire goal could have effectively killed the game, it being disallowed may have been more beneficial in the long run as it gave Unai Emery another opportunity to stresstest a relatively new defensive line-up.

Villa's defensive issues have been one of the season's biggest frustrations. Only the three teams currently marooned in the relegation zone have kept fewer clean sheets (four) or have a worse away goal difference (-11) this season.

Injuries have led to constant reshuffling at the back, yet regardless of personnel, the defence has struggled for stability.

Brentford gained momentum after Villa's disallowed goal and began pressuring what might be the back four Emery has finally settled on, having also used it in Bruges during Villa's 3-1 Champions League first-leg win.

With Axel Disasi starting at right-back, Emery has the flexibility to introduce a more attack-minded option such as Matty Cash later in games, shifting Disasi inside as a third centre-back.

Emery initially experimented with a three-centre-back system away at Crystal Palace, where it quickly faltered, but his primary intention seems to be using it as an in-game switch - particularly to shut down matches in the Champions League knockout stages.

Disasi has proven himself comfortable at full-back and possesses a battling edge reminiscent of Tyrone Mings, giving Villa a more robust defensive presence.

The same back four is expected to start the second leg against Club Brugge, and Brentford's late pressure should serve as a valuable dress rehearsal for a crucial night at Villa Park.

But one major question remains - with Pau Torres now back from injury and previously considered central to Emery's style of play, will he be sacrificed for a more pragmatic defensive setup?

Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Brentford's Premier League match against Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Brentford fans

George: Frustrating - a very even match where we had plenty of chances in their box but couldn't turn it into the net. Disasi flung himself well in front of the best of those chances and their keeper was outstanding. While we fought to the dying seconds, they ran the clock down well and we lacked the two things that any Premier League team sorely needs when trailing - decisive substitutions and a generous helping of luck.

Iain: Brentford played well against a well organised Villa defence. Just two points - one, when will Brentford take a shot instead of walking the ball in? And two - when will the quality of refereeing improve in this country?

Paul: I think the referee was weak, but saying that we need to fall behind to start playing and it shouldn't be like that at home. Don't understand Thomas Frank's substitutions. What's the point of bringing on a centre half with minutes to go when there's a B team forward on the bench?

Villa fans

Paul: Question marks were raised over Unai's team selection, but he got it absolutely spot on when you now consider the fresh legs we'll have for the visit of Club Brugge. At the business end of the season it feels like we're finally coming good. Disasi in particular was immense.

Jason: More gritty performances like this would be handy; you don't get points for style. Disasi was a beast.

Andrew: Proud of the Villa team. Every player put a shift in and I was worried at the start with Olsen in goal but we were excellent in the first half without scoring and a very close VAR decision ruled out Rogers' goal.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Liverpool 3-1 Southampton

• Brentford 0-1 Aston Villa

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa's post-Champions League struggles have been well documented this season.

Prior to this fixture they had failed to win the previous seven matches they had played in immediately after a European game, collecting just three points in the process.

So this was a very welcome end to that dismal run.

And that they managed it without their influential goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and forward Marco Asensio, while fielding nine of the side that started the 3-1 victory at Club Brugge, was all the more impressive.

While Ollie Watkins returned to haunt former club Brentford with the decisive goal, there was plenty to admire about the defensive resolve on show from Unai Emery's side.

Robin Olsen, deputising for the injured Emiliano Martinez, looked assured on his first top-flight start since May 2024.

In front of him on-loan Chelsea defender Axel Disasi along with Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne formed a highly effective shield that restricted the hosts to just three efforts on target.